The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-12-29

overcoat wa thrown jauntly open, and, as
he passed up the street he drew his hand
kerchief from an inside pocket, and blew
his nose with q sonOrous blast.
Ted was watching all this with interest,
for the mans pleasant face had pleased his
childish fancy, n az the handkerchief
came out the boy saw another object fly out
also and lodge in the dirty snow Of the gut
ter, while the gentleman walked quickly on,
quite unaware Of his loss.
Ted's first thought was that it was only .
piece of paper, and it did not occur to him to
investigate the matter, but a second thought
sent him flying to the spot, where, after
some little search, he found u small pack
age wrapped in white paper and decorated
with al express label; there was evidently
o small box within, and Ted ran as fast as
his legs would carry him to restore it to the
owner.
That jaunty gentleman was just getting
into a handsome sleigh as Ted turned the
| corner. and away he went.
"Mistcr, mister" screamed Ted at the top
Of his voice, which the bells drowned, and
| then began q race-Ted running for dear
life, the horses trotting along with no idea
that they were pursued.
The boys legs did him good service, how
| ever, and at last he succeeded in attracting
the attention Of the driver. "What's this,
my lad." he said, kindly. "Want q ridea"
"N-n-no," painted Teddy, all out of breath,
'but you lost this, sir, and I T picked it up"
and he held up the package.
"Well well, did l ever,' said the gentle
man, feeling hastily in his pocket. "What o
careless trick. And 30 you've pretty near
run your legs of to catch me, eh!"
II guess they're all whole yet, SIR" re-
piled Ted, with q smile, and yet putting with
the race.
He handed over the box, while the stran-
ger took out a fat pocket-book. "Christmas
is coming, my boy, and may be you'll Like an
extra bit q surprise money" he said, good
| natpredly, as he handed out q fvedollar
| bill to the astonished child ~
'Qh; sir, that's too much" and Ted of.
fercd It back, quite overwhelmed by such
munificence.
swell, I don't know about that" said tho
| gentleman, ."that box. contains q watch
worth two hundred dollars, and by the time
I had advertised it and paid q reward, it
would have cost me double the amount, be-
sides the chances Of my finding it again, so
on the whole, / think l am rewarding you
very moderately" and he buttoned his
overcoat over box and pocketrbook resolute-
~, anu pTCpdICu W uTltc Ou.
A whole arena of Christmas presents
danced through Ted's happy brain, as he
thanked the generous gentleman for his
gift, and" they parted with mutual good feel
ing.
"If I had such a father as that" solilo-
quized the child, ''what a good boy I'd be.'f
IF / had IN honest, bright-faced boy like
that" said the gentleman, ''what q happy
father I'd be-"
Ted had never beforek kept o secret from;
his mother, and it was the hardest work to-
keep from telling his adventure, but secret9
were flying in the air apparently and he'
held on to his with true Christmas tenacity.
He had suspected by this time who was
coming on the train, and he was ON time {
the station with Doll The had also wisely con.
Guided to wait a bit for her advice and as
s~istance before spending his wealth.
Aunt Nan stepped of the train when il
came in, looking roster and jollier than ever
Ted thought, as she Rugged him up close to
her warm furs, and she had the latest
sachel and the heaviest basket he had even
lifted.
There was a perfect jubilee OF welcome
when the party reached hame, and Aunt
Nan took her namesake and little Jane into
her warm embrace, to their complete SUR
yIl6C, xOT lucy Va uCtCT OECAuk6O u 8UCu u
happy arrival. 1.-THE little dears,'' said
several mysterious trips to the barn, re-
turning with contraband bundles unde4
their aprons, ''they shall have ono Christ
mas, If they never do another"
Such a merry-making the Rexford house
had never witnessed before. Billy Grant
had good-naturedly consented to go to the
woods and cut a small evergreen, which
was conveyed to the parlor secretly, and IL
it was not as brilliantly lighted and
trimmed as it might have been, it was q
wonderful tree, nevertheless, hung with
popcorn, apples and oranges and gifts, nm
til the children were nearly wild with de-
light when they saw ii.
A long pail, full of some mysterious COM
pound, had been sitting In q tub In the
woodshed, carelessly covered over with o
piece of carpet, and this was found to con-
tain ice-cream, and after all the other
things had been distributed, it came In,
piled up In delicious masses Of frozen
sweetness, on Mrs Rexford's best china
saucers, together with the angels food
which Aunt Nan had baked that day.
Mrs. Rexford actually cried with sur
prised delight when Ted gave her a lovely
plush work-box, the first gift he had ever
Deeb aDIo 10 make ner, ana tolQ MS story Oh
the kind gentleman and his gold watch.
Poor thingi she had enjoyed little Of merri-
ment or gift-making since her marriage,
and she enjoyed this, as only a kindly, cheer
full heart, craInped into space far too small
for it, can enjoy liberty and love freely ex-
pressed. #
Mother said Ted, when, at a late hour,
Mrs. Rexford gathered her little flock to-
gether for their evening prayers. .tIt al
ways seemed when I said Our Heavenly
Father as il He was stern and cross just
like father, but ! think He must be good b
he wouldn't q let US had such q lovely
Christmas
TEDDY, poor child = said Aunt Nan. and
her kindly bright eyes were full Of tears,
t'whatever comes, dear boy, don't forget
that, whatever your earthly father may be,
your Heavenly Father y all tenderness and
love toward you.'
Before Mr.. Rexford's return, oil traces Of
the festivities were removed: he seemed
qnite s0ftencd by the scenes through which
he had passed, and III he noticed any super
fiHous articles about the house and sus-
pee.ed shcir source, he said nothing. and
The children Y forgot their one Merry
SB